The bare-fronted hoodwink is an extremely shy species of bird. To date it has never been fully observed. In fact, its existence has only been surmised thanks to the efforts of ornithologist M.F. Meiklejohn who conducted a careful study of birds "partially seen or indeterminately heard." Meiklejohn advised that bird watchers in the field could recognize the species by its "blurred appearance and extremely rapid flight away from the observer." He also noted that amateur bird watchers appeared to have more luck spying it than did more experienced observers. The photo to the right shows a museum curator's effort to guess at what the hoodwink might look like. This specimen was exhibited at the Royal Scottish Museum in Edinburgh on April 1, 1975.